UCL | PSG v Arsenal | 13th of September at 19:45 (GMT)

[logic DC]

I actually don't blame or fear that much for Monreal, today he was up against a young kid who played like he was on drugs or something, and on top of that his team mates did little to help him, left out there by himself to roast, actually felt bad for him.

 

[IndyCanada]

A bit off topic but does anyone here think we could put 7 by celtic? How about 3? I don't. Thats the difference between the wc teams and us right now. They have no problem scoring.

 

[Giroud]

Santi had a few sloppy moments but his distribution was fantastic overall especially as the game wore on. Great variety to his passing and he transitioned the ball well. Unfortunately we were pants again with Sanchez up front.

Not only were we poor in the final third but shocking at the back too. Could easily have been 4 or 5-1.

Again another positive was Iwobi though. Nice movement in between the lines, again getting into good shooting positions and also showing off his dribbling skills again. The kid is the real deal.

 

[4R5Emaniac]

I would sign Aurier and play him RW and I'm only half joking.

All we had to do is be fair to Joelito Campbiola. He was one of our better performers last season and now he is at Sporting while we struggle to find balance on the wings.

 

[logic DC]

Santi did what you would expect a player of his quality to do even on a bad day, let's not jump the gun here but definitely better than Özil (especially in the first half) and co.

 

[logic DC]

crazy how small Veratti is but some how has so much presence on the field.

 

[carlito'sway]

Santi did what you would expect a player of his quality to do even on a bad day, let's not jump the gun here but definitely better than Özil (especially in the first half) and co.

That is the thing....Upfront we are playing with Ox (i.e. basically playing with 10) and to add to this, Özil is clearly in a funk. He lost a number of easy touches, made wrong choices and so on....Hopefully his funk will pass soon.

 

[carlito'sway]

Indeed, kudos to Arsène. We were scratching our head before the game but he got it at least right for the GK position. Ospina had a cracking game.

 

[rich 1990]

A bit off topic but does anyone here think we could put 7 by celtic? How about 3? I don't. Thats the difference between the wc teams and us right now. They have no problem scoring.

I think we could put 73 past them, tbh. They're mid Championship level at best.

 

[Rimaal]

We were shocking all over the pitch especially in the first half which was hellish to watch. That's not the players, that's the game strategy. There was something terribly wrong with whatever the tactics were meant to be - I certainly couldn't tell you.

 

[krackpot]

Cavani is the second biggest bottle-job after Higgy, as other have said.

Santi doesn't work as a CM. His passing and dribbling is sublime, but his positioning costs us.

Iwobi needs to learn defense before we meet Chelski.

If Welbeck comes back nicely, it is goodbye for Giroud.

 

[OSBK]

Draw away against one of the top teams in europe and we didnt even play well....

Happily take that point

 

[IndyCanada]

I think we could put 73 past them, tbh. They're mid Championship level at best.

Dont they have just as many wins vs barca as we do in the last 5 years? We win just as many big games as them haha

 

[Rimaal]

Apparently there a tactics column on Arsenal.com suggesting that playing Coq up the field was a strategic move to give Cazorla space to play-make.

If anyone finds it, please post a link. Thank you.

 

[sammy89]

Bottom line for me is that it's clear on day one that once again were looking at a fluke CL win at best. We're planets behind teams like PSG, Barca and Bayern in most departments. Meet any of the elite in the knockouts and we're out. All this despite a 100m splash in the transfer window. Pretty depressing

 

[Nyctophobia]

1-1 is a good result for us in the end, much work ahead to perform better than this, but we got the point.

 

[aaronramseybolton]

For me, Wenger did his best to screw this tie up for us. The starting XI was a joke by anyone's standards.

Alexis up front- it doesn't work, stop playing him there.

We have a 32 million pound cm on the bench who has been quality both last season, in the euros and so far this season (when he has managed to get a game) and yet coquelin starts ahead of him.

Chamberlain should really be booted from the club- despite having the good game here and there he really hasn't pushed on since he has arrived at all. You can see the way he looks when he comes off the pitch- he knows he should be a million miles from where he is and it frustrates him. I know Iwobi has been getting stick for not defending (with justification) but at least he looks good going forward (except that disgraceful wayward ball towards the end of the first half).

Next one is controversial but Ospina shouldn't have started. He had a terrific game but my reasoning is this: you play your best keeper in the most important competitions (premier league and champions league)- they don't need to recover like other players so it is completely possible. Wenger clearly thinks Cech is the better keeper- indeed, Cech will be played in the premier league on the weekend- so just play your better keeper. If you think Ospina is so good, then play him all the time.

As the game wore on, and changes were made, the line-up started looking more and more like what I had expected (and what most gunners would have expected) and we were much better. So much so that we managed to get a goal. But this was not a game we should have won. A striker with a modicum of confidence would have buried at least three of those cavani chances and the game would have been over.

We are playing badly at the minute and what is more troubling is that our football is looking worse as well. For me, we are still miles away from winning the league or the champions league and we aren't even going to have the silver lining of watching a team that looks good now. People talk about how Arsenal are the best looking team in the premier league but I don't think this is the case anymore.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Giroud is not fit to start... and something is wrong in his head as well. That may be why he is not starting..... The way he acted as well gives credence to that. Totally petulant.

He was booed by PSG fans who probably want to see Benzema start for France. I think the hate from all quarters has finally got to him.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Don't feel that Özil and Cazorla have the chemistry to play together.

 

[rich 1990]

Dont they have just as many wins vs barca as we do in the last 5 years? We win just as many big games as them haha

So do Rubin Kazan. They won at the Nou Camp. Doesn't mean that much really.